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Horror for the Kiddos; Spooky Skwerl Stories

I have a niece who is just getting into reading on her own, and I’ve been looking for some fun horror tales appropriate for young readers. Because, really, what kind of an aunt would I be if I didn’t introduce her to the fun-filled-world of horror as soon as possible?

While I was at the Rock and Shock horror convention in Worcester MA, Alexander met the writers of a book created for just such an audience, and brought me back a copy of their first book.

William L. Bozarth and Laura D. James have written and self published an anthology series called Spooky Skwerl Stories.

William L. Bozarth on L and Laura D. James on R with their mascot

The story follows the antics of a group of four squirrels named Spazzels, Fiddle, Faddle and Norman, Who infiltrate a craggy castle and get into a bunch of mischief during the course of the story.

It is a cute little tale, running 17 pages long. It reads kind of like a script for a Duck Tales episode mixed with Goosebumps by R.L. Stine. There’s some fun dialogue between characters and some ridiculous scenes which play off of the spastic nature of squirrels in general. If I were to give this to my niece I feel like I would have to help her through the first reading. The way the squirrels speak is a little difficult to understand unless you read it out-loud.

Here, have a try:

“Alright, there are a lot of playshesh he could be – plotting hish dastardly vengeansh, maybe even torturing Norman right at thish moment.”

Translation: “Alright, there are a lot of places he could be – plotting his dastardly vengeance. Maybe even torturing Norman right at this moment.”

But other than that minor note, it’s a nice horror read for the young-ins.

They have two books in the series published right now, #1 Cracker Jack and #2 From Duck Till Dawn. I’m looking forward to seeing where they take the tale next.